Katie Loves Paper

May 5, 2010

Introducing your new Paper Concierge - ME!

Announcing Katie's Paper Concierge store - http://kburch.paperconcierge.com

Dear friends & family,

Those of you who are familiar with my obsession for trendy stationery and personalized gifts will understand how perfect a fit this is for me. I’m so excited to announce that I am venturing into a selling opportunity with a great company called Paper Concierge! Paper Concierge is an online store featuring top of line products in stationery, invitations and fantastic gifts. Our collection of talented designers and products are sure to impress and inspire as you plan for parties and gift giving – don’t forget a treat for yourself! Best of all, you can use my Personal Shopper feature and I will do all the work for you in picking out stylish items for you.

I would like to invite each of you to receive my monthly e-newsletter where I will feature my top picks, new products and special sales & giveaways. You may also follow me on www.katielovespaper.blogspot.com which will have more up-to-date business info as well as party ideas, home projects, crafts and recipes I’m trying out.

Thanks for your support and friendship,
Katie Baker Burch

May 4, 2010

Mother's Day Brunch

Left to right: my mother-in-law "Skeeter", my mom Lori, one of my 2 sisters-in-law Wendy, and me

Mother's Day is this coming weekend and it sounds like my wonderful mother-in-law will be in town, along with Michael's dad, sister and nephews. We rarely get overnight weekend company since our families live further away, so of course this gets my hostess wheels turning with all sorts of ideas. If there's one thing The Burch Family loves ... it's good food! So we'll be planning for a nice Sunday brunch for Mother's Day! And, weather permitting, it's a great opportunity to dine al fresco on the mac daddy of decks that my husband and father-in-law built last year :)

FOOD -
I'll have to take into consideration any special breakfast requests, but right now I'm thing about - Stuffed French Toast, Scrambled Eggs (a must have for kids!), Bacon and Hash brown Potatoes. The feature dish definitely being the Stuffed French Toast (pictured below) that I found on Pioneer Woman's blog. If that doesn't make your mouth water, then you're nuts!

TABLE & FLOWERS -
Mother's Day happens to be at the peak of spring flower season. So take advantage of the colorful blooms in your garden and set a beautiful table to complete your brunch. Get creative with containers. Try mason jars or old soup cans wrapped with colorful scrapbook or wrapping paper. Or continue the theme into your gift with potted flowers that can be transferred to her garden. Found in blog Snippets of Wonderful, try Erica's easy DIY Tin Can Vase project (pictured below).

And I have to show off the amazing deck since I mentioned it before. Isn't it pretty? I hope the weather is nice for our Sunday brunch! I'll have to follow up with pics and results of the stuffed french toast later :)

What's for dinner?

Most nights, I come home from work and my dear husband asks "What's for dinner?" Ugh ... don't you hate that question?!? I do. I've struggled to find items that are all of the following - healthy, not too expensive, both of like it, easy to prepare, and not a million weird ingredients. I've scoured recipe websites in the past, searching for creative ideas to make meals from the things that I already have in my kitchen. Recently, I came across a site called SuperCook. And let me tell you, this website is revolutionizing my dinner planning! It's quite amazing. Here's how it works: Open your fridge and pantry, type the ingredients you have into the site's search bar and let SuperCook do it's thing. The site will query the web and spit out the ones that match your kitchen ingredients. You have to try it and tell me what you think!
Take a SuperCook tour here

May 3, 2010

Let's Fiesta!

My favorite snack is great chips & salsa. My favorite beer is Corona with a refreshing lime wedge. And my husband says that I must have been Mexican in a past life! It’s my favorite cuisine! So in honor of Cinco de Mayo, I’m featuring my top fiesta party ideas.

Michael and I in Riviera Maya, Mexico last year

FOOD – “Salsa has now passed ketchup as America’s favorite condiment. Isn’t that amazing? You know its bad when even our vegetables are starting to lose their jobs to Mexico.” – Jay Leno, on the Tonight Show

By far, one of the most unique Mexican restaurants I’ve been to is Mercaditos (link here) in NYC. My sister worked here part-time and took us there for dinner & brunch. You can see their different menus (link here). I want to try to recreate many of these at home.

If you find yourself low on time and need a tasty treat to serve for guests, why not try my ’10 minute salsa solution’. You really don’t even need a recipe. Just mix the ingredients to your liking.

10 Minute Salsa Solution

Ingredients: 1 can black beans, frozen corn (thawed in microwave), grape tomatoes halved, chopped red onion, diced jalapenos, fresh cilantro, and lime juice. The flavor really comes together with the lime juice. I used 3 limes!

DRINK – 1 tequila, 2 tequila, 3 tequila …. Let’s not go to the floor!

Skinny Girl Margaritas by Bethenny Frankel (link here)

2 oz of clear premium Tequila (count 1, 2 while you pour, no need for measuring)

Tiny splash of Orange Liquor

Juice of 4 fresh lime wedges

Combine all ingredients over a glass of ice and garnish with a lime wedge

Fiesta Inspirations - Top: gorgeous inspiration board by My Island Wedding blog; Sombrero Invitation by Hicks Paper Goods found at Paper Concierge; Crate and Barrel's Raya Pitcher.

Mother's Day

I know its a little late to be ordering online gifts, but I still wanted to post some gift ideas that can be used for moms (or any fabulous women in your life) throughout the year. I'll be posting a perfect Mother's Day brunch menu in the next few days as well.

All items can be found at PaperConcierge.

Whitney English personalized clipboards (below) Three Designing Women custom stamps (below)

Lilly Pulitzer personalized stationery (below left) Embossed graphics classic note cards(below right)

Whitney English personalized candle (below left) Lilly Pulitzer enclosure cards (below right)

Apr 28, 2010

A day at the races

It’s almost Derby time!

Horses, hats and mint juleps are filling up many social calendars this week. I have still never been to a horse race, but know I’d love it and fit right in! I do know a little bit from derby themed parties. Anything that brings together friends, fashion & cocktails is right up my alley!!! And I’m seriously considering trying out HWTM’s Mint Julep Cupcakes! So in honor of the 136th Kentucky Derby, here’s my little addition of derby fun!

Top to Bottom:

1. Vintage prize ribbons

2. Invitation by Whitney English, found at PaperConcierge (click here)

3. Derby fashions at last year's Derby Birthday Party for Deana (ignore the guy in the dress!)

4. Traditional mint juleps

Apr 27, 2010

Back to Blogging!

I'm thinking about making another go of my not so great first attempt at blogging. But this time actually using it! See before, I was mostly using this blog to experiment with wedding invitation design and using it as a portfolio if/when needed. Paper Amour never really went anywhere. Although I do love the creativity that comes with custom design, it's not exactly my specialty. Love the creative part and coming up with ideas, but I struggle with execution. If I had the time and money to invest I'd love to take some design courses in Photoshop and Illustrator some day.

I'm focusng my love for pretty party papers and girly gifts into a new side business venture called Paper Concierge! Strictly to fullfill my creative fantasies and dream ahead at what could one day turn into something more. Paper Concierge is not a new company, but it has many new changes underway. As soon as some of these exciting changes settle in I will be sharing more - blog, facebook updates and monthly newsletter and promotions.

More info to come at a later time!